Forgotten Fighters

[Ivich]

I agree he doesn't get the respect he deserves- but on the other hand three of his defenses in Australia were against Billy Squires (who didn't have a bad record down under) whom he KOed three times.

It seems he couldn't find any serious competition down there. I often wonder if he took the Jack Johnson fight simply because he couldn't find a competive opponent the fans were still willing to pay to see.

Squires knocked him down in one fight.
Burns took the Johnson fight because he was offered $30,000 a tremendous amount of money in1908.

[Ben Bolt]

April 1976: Eusebio Pedroza is flattened by hard-hitter Alfonso Zamora.
Three months later, Pedroza suffers another KO loss.

And the remarkable comeback …
April 1978: Pedroza starts his 7-year reign as WBA featherweight champion.

[markusmod]

- - Nobody mentions tyny Jesus Chavez sending l'l floydy fleeing for his life or holding off Erik Morales with just his left hand after his right dislocated in the 2nd round.

If we need an explanation for that, neither Morales or his team run by his dumb daddy picked up Jesus was a one armed fighter.

And now he's training Kid Munguia who could actually be HOF fighter if he had better training.

Didn't Floyd stop Chavez with one hand?

[QueensburyRules]

Didn't Floyd stop Chavez with one hand?

- - Never even dropped him much less hurt him.

Richard Lord the Jesus' trainer lacked industry gravitas to go against the new l'l floydy Industry, so, cough, cough, Arum hired Ronnie Shields for the fight who pulled the plug that required security to to keep Lord who was good professional fighter from wrecking fat Ronnie. Embarrassing for HBO on public tv as the headliner bout.

Ironically that was my first viewing of l'l floydy as well as Manny on the same card. Manny was unknown but touted as a flashy newcomer couldn't keep from getting deliberately head butted by a little Dominican Agapito Sanchez that ended with the ref pulling the plug for a draw instead of DQing Sanchez. The little thug met his demise getting shot up on his Island a few years later.

[markusmod]

Squires knocked him down in one fight.
Burns took the Johnson fight because he was offered $30,000 a tremendous amount of money in1908.

For some guys it's a tremendous amount of money now.

[Ben Bolt]

April 1976: Larry Holmes, 21-0, steps up in class to take on Roy Williams.

The Ring Magazine: Williams was an authentic knockout artist from Philadelphia who Holmes knew only too well.
Williams [like Holmes] had served as a sparring partner for Muhammad Ali in the early ‘70s. But while Holmes had grown to love and respect Ali, Williams had very little time for the self-styled GOAT, and that showed every time they shared a ring together.
“Ali didn’t want to box him” revealed Holmes. “Ali wanted somebody to take it easy, but Roy said, ‘No, I’m fighting! I’m gonna beat your ass up! I’m gonna kick your ass!’ Every time he got in the ring with Ali, he’d try and beat him up. They didn’t want that kind of fight with Roy, because it was like that every day. Ali would maybe use Roy for one round, two at the most. Roy was a big puncher and he didn’t like Ali.”

Boxrec: On Nov 4, 1979, a Philadelphia Court sentenced Williams to life for the murder of Louis Mincer, who he shot 5 times over an argument about a woman.

Worth watching, the final round of a scheduled 10, Williams vs Shavers, December 1976.

[Ben Bolt]

Two of the toughest guys in the early 1980s.
According to wiki, Boza’s post-career life proceeded well, while Navarrete was the kind of guy who couldn’t handle life outside the ring.

Manny Pacquiao had this daily hour, when he took on and supported Filipinos living on the streets with some money.
Among those queuing, as Pacquaio himself has testified, was Navarrete.

[Willie Pep 229]

I remember Boza-Edwards as being articulate. I wonder if I remember correctly.

[QueensburyRules]

April 1976: Larry Holmes, 21-0, steps up in class to take on Roy Williams.

The Ring Magazine: Williams was an authentic knockout artist from Philadelphia who Holmes knew only too well.
Williams [like Holmes] had served as a sparring partner for Muhammad Ali in the early ‘70s. But while Holmes had grown to love and respect Ali, Williams had very little time for the self-styled GOAT, and that showed every time they shared a ring together.
“Ali didn’t want to box him” revealed Holmes. “Ali wanted somebody to take it easy, but Roy said, ‘No, I’m fighting! I’m gonna beat your ass up! I’m gonna kick your ass!’ Every time he got in the ring with Ali, he’d try and beat him up. They didn’t want that kind of fight with Roy, because it was like that every day. Ali would maybe use Roy for one round, two at the most. Roy was a big puncher and he didn’t like Ali.”

Boxrec: On Nov 4, 1979, a Philadelphia Court sentenced Williams to life for the murder of Louis Mincer, who he shot 5 times over an argument about a woman.

Worth watching, the final round of a scheduled 10, Williams vs Shavers, December 1976.

- - Life in the US don't really mean life in the misbegotten criminal justice system.

Interesting in that Boxrec don't list a date of death in this his 74th year, so it seems like some enterprising young video gun might want to seek him out and maybe put some cash in his pockets for an interview.

[edgarg]

A thread about boxers rarely mentioned in this history section, but whose names shouldnt fall in oblivion.

Heres a starter: Ugandan Ayub Kalule, a gold medalist (jr. welter) in the 1974 World Amateur Boxing Championships.
Not a big puncher, but technical skilled. 36 straight wins as a pro 1976-81, crowned WBA jr. middle champ in 1979.

Lost the title in 1981 against Sugar Ray Leonard (TKO by 9).
Some quotes:
A virtual unknown in the United States, Kalule was considered little more than a courier waiting to deliver the belt to Leonard. However, Bob Arum's Top Rank promoted the fight in Houston and Arum predicted that Kalule would beat Leonard, telling the media that it was only by persuasion that he agreed to promote the fight. "I don't want to take the blame when Leonard loses this fight," Arum said. [Not just promotional hype by Arum; the eagerly awaited Leonard-Hearns encounter was in jeopardy.]
Irving Rudd, a Top Rank press agent, brought a witch doctor named Mugimba to Houston to drum up publicity. Kalule wanted nothing to do with him. "I am embarrassed," he said. "Why do they do this to me, like I am a fool? I didn't just come out of the jungle. Take him away."
The fight proved more difficult than expected for Leonard as southpaw Kalule repeatedly landed his straight left. Scores after 8 rnds: 2x78-76 and 78-75 in favour of Leonard.

Kalule could handle most men, but lacked that little bit extra to compete with the very best.
After decisioning Sumbu Kalambay in Dec. 1985, Kalule was halted by Herol Graham one and a half month later, and ended up with a 46-4 record.

I want to add one...a very good one, a GREAT fighter......Carlos Zarate.